Effect of peritonitis on gallbladder smooth muscle contractility in guinea pigs

BACKGROUND: The mechanisms involved in the impaired gallbladder contractile response in peritonitis are unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of peritonitis on the contraction and relaxation responses to different agonists in gallbladder smooth muscle in guinea pig. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Peritonitis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in 10 guinea pigs. Another group of 10 guinea pigs underwent a sham operation and acted as controls. Twenty-four hours after the operation, the guinea pigs were killed, and gallbladder strips were placed in organ bath. The contraction responses to KCl, carbachol, and histamine, and relaxation responses to cyclooxygenase inhibitors (indomethacin, nimesulide, and DFU) on KCl-induced contractions were recorded. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the contractile responsiveness to KCl, but maximum contractile responses (E(max)) to carbachol and histamine were significantly reduced. Indomethacin, nimesulide, and DFU concentration dependently inhibited on KCl-induced contractions of gallbladder smooth muscle. E(max) values of indomethacin, nimesulide, and DFU were significantly reduced in the peritonitis group compared with controls (P < 0.05). The inhibitor effects of nimesulide and DFU were considerably similar, but inhibitor effect of indomethacin was significantly less than that measured for nimesulide and DFU in both control and peritonitis groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The contraction responses to carbachol and histamine and relaxation responses to COX inhibitors on gallbladder smooth muscle are significantly decreased by peritonitis. Although the mechanism of the decrease in contraction and relaxation responses in CLP-induced peritonitis is completely unknown, we speculate that impaired smooth muscle responses may be related to an alteration in the regulation of receptor/postreceptor excitation-response coupling and/or through changes on Ca(2+) influx.     

Post-transplant C-reactive protein monitoring can predict chronic allograft nephropathy

Chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN) is a major problem after renal transplantation and chronic inflammation can be one of its promoters. C-reactive protein (CRP) is an important marker of inflammation and atherosclerosis. We retrospectively analyzed the predictive role of serum CRP levels on the development of CAN and graft failure. One hundred and twenty-five renal transplant patients were randomly included into the study. Serum CRP levels were measured at pre-transplant period, first month after transplantation and at yearly intervals throughout follow-up. CAN was diagnosed in 40.8% of patients and 82.4% of them had graft failure in 60.9 +/- 36.7 months. There was no difference at pre-transplant CRP levels of patients with and without CAN, but the first month CRP levels were higher in those who experienced CAN. The initial 3-yr mean CRP levels were higher, but not statistically different between the patients with and without CAN. The simultaneously detected CRP levels when CAN were diagnosed was significantly higher in those with CAN. High post-transplant CRP levels at the first month and at the diagnosis of CAN significantly influenced the allograft failure according to the regression analysis. CRP monitoring gives important information about the risk for CAN and graft failure. Therefore, CRP levels should be included in the follow-up data after renal transplantation.     

Plasma transforming growth factor beta1 levels in thrombocytopenic and nonthrombocytopenic neonates

In this study, we determined the plasma TGF-beta1 levels in healthy and thrombocytopenic and nonthrombocytopenic neonates who had perinatal risk factors and examined the association between plasma TGF-beta1 levels and platelet counts in these newborns to investigate the role of TGF-beta1 in the pathogenesis of neonatal thrombocytopenia. Three groups were defined in this prospective study: group 1, thrombocytopenic neonates (n=22) who had perinatal risk factors; group 2, nonthrombocytopenic neonates who had similar perinatal risk factors for thrombocytopenia (n=20); group 3, healthy and nonthrombocytopenic neonates without any risk factors (n=20). Plasma TGF-beta1 levels were measured with ELISA. Plasma TGF-beta1 levels of the thrombocytopenic neonates were significantly lower than those of healthy nonthrombocytopenic neonates but did not differ significantly from nonthrombocytopenic neonates who had similar perinatal risk factors for thrombocytopenia. There was a significant positive correlation between plasma TGF-beta1 levels and platelet counts. Further studies are needed to determine the cause of low plasma TGF-beta1 levels in thrombocytopenic neonates and to investigate the role of plasma TGF-beta1 levels in the pathogenesis of neonatal thrombocytopenia.     

Analysis of thalassemia syndromes and abnormal hemoglobins in patients from the Aegean region of Turkey

Turkey is located in a geographic area of the world where thalassemia syndromes and abnormal hemoglobins are common. In this study we aimed to evaluate the thalassemia syndromes and abnormal hemoglobins in patients from the Aegean region of Turkey. Among the patients admitted to our Pediatric Hematology or Hematology Clinic between January 1997-September 1999, hemoglobin electrophoresis of 3,228 cases investigated for anemia was done using high performance liquid chromatography. Beta thalassemia trait was diagnosed in 21.1%, beta thalassemia major in 0.2%, S-beta thalassemia in 0.37%, Hb D in 0.37%, Hb S trait in 0.32%, Hb E in 0.18%, Hb O-Arab in 0.12%, Hb G-Copenhagen in 0.09%, Hb D-Iran in 0.06%, Hb Lepore in 0.06%, Hb Hasharon in 0.03%. Our results demonstrate that people in the Aegean region of Turkey have a wide spectrum of thalassemia syndromes and abnormal hemoglobins.     

Complications and outcome in left-sided endocarditis in children

We retrospectively assessed the clinical course and outcome of left-sided endocarditis in pediatric patients to find out the prognostic significance of the presence and size of echocardiographically detected vegetations. Among the children admitted to our institution with endocarditis between January 1987 and October 1999, 16 patients (mean age 9.03 +/- 4.95 years) who met the Duke criteria for the diagnosis of infective endocarditis (IE) were included in this study. Rheumatic valvular disease was the most frequent underlying heart disease (10 patients: 62.5%). Five patients were operated at a mean of 13.9 months before endocarditis, and all had residual defects. Vegetation was detected in 11 cases (69%). Ten patients had major complications (within 2 weeks in 6 patients). Three patients developed congestive heart failure (CHF), six had intracranial and one had lower extremity emboli. Among them four were operated because of complications (CHF: 3 cases, intracranial emboli: 1 case). All the operated cases are doing well. The association between intracranial embolic events and echocardiographically detected vegetations was determined by calculating specificity (40%), sensitivity (100%), positive predictive value (50%), and negative predictive value (100%). No intracranial embolism occurred in patients without vegetations. All vegetations were < or = 6 mm in patients with systemic embolism. There were four deaths, three of which were because of intracranial embolism. This study suggests that intracranial emboli have a major risk of mortality in left-sided endocarditis. The larger size of the vegetation is not a predictor of complications; furthermore, the absence of vegetations predicts that the patient is safe from embolic events. Therefore all patients with left-sided IE should be considered for earlier surgical intervention.     

Volume of nerve fibers in the stress-induced bladder of adult rats following capsaicin treatment

INTRODUCTION: We have investigated the volume of nerve fibers in the rat urinary bladder following systematic exposure to cold-restraint stress and capsaicin treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult Wistar albino rats were either exposed to cold-restraint stress (vehicle group) or treated with capsaicin before exposure to cold-restraint stress (capsaicin group). In the control group, animals were neither exposed to cold-restraint stress nor given capsaicin. From each group, samples of bladder were prepared for morphological investigation and stereological evaluation of the volume of nerve fibers. RESULTS: Stress exposure was associated with urothelial degeneration, a higher incidence and degranulation of mast cell profiles in the mucosa, and an increased volume of nerve fibers in the muscular layer of the bladder wall. Capsaicin treatment prevented the stress-induced degenerative changes. In the capsaicin group, the volume of nerve fibers in the muscular layer was also significantly smaller than that in the stress group. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure of adult rats to capsaicin prevented the stress-induced degeneration of the bladder and changed the volume of capsaicin-sensitive fibers in muscular layer. We conclude that capsaicin and related compounds may be useful in treating stress-induced bladder problems.     

Effects of extended-wear soft contact lenses on the ocular surface and central corneal thickness

PURPOSE: New contact lens materials with high oxygen permeability are said to be convenient for the extended-wear (EW) schedule. We evaluated the short-term effect of EW soft contact lens usage on ocular surface and central corneal thickness. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty-two eyes of 26 patients were included in the study. Sixteen of the patients used the high oxygen-permeable lenses for a 30-day extended-wear schedule (group I). Ten patients used the lenses on a daily wear basis (DW, group II). All patients were evaluated for visual acuity and central corneal thickness by corneal and conjunctival biomicroscopy, Schirmer and tear break-up time (BUT) tests. Impression cytology was performed in the superior/temporal, inferior/nasal quadrants of the conjunctiva, 1 mm from the limbus, with cellulose acetate filter paper. The specimens were graded under light microscopy according to Nelson's classification. RESULTS: Three patients in the EW group were excluded from the study as they discontinued lens usage due to slight discomfort and hyperemia. Biomicroscopic findings and tear function tests indicated no increased pathological results. Central corneal thickness decreased from 554 +/- 9.55 to 546 +/- 9.30 microm (mean +/- SEM) in the EW group (p = 0.002), whereas no significant change occurred in the DW group. Cytological evaluation of the EW group showed an 88% increase in metaplasia (p = 0.007), especially close to the limbal areas and in the superior quadrants; this ratio was 30% in the DW group. Snake-like chromatin changes were found to be increased, from 4 to 6 patients, in the EW group while it remained the same in the DW group (p > 0.05). Individual comparisons of the initial and final pathological conditions of the ocular surfaces in the two groups showed that there was an increase in pathology in the EW group while there was no significant difference in the DW group. CONCLUSIONS: On a 30-day extended-wear basis with high oxygen-permeable lenses, the possible development and increase of conjunctival cytologic changes secondary to mechanical trauma is one of the main remaining problems. Conjunctival and related immunologic pathologies should not be overlooked when prescribing an extended-wear lens schedule.     

The presence and antimicrobial susceptibilities of human-pathogen Vibrio spp. isolated from blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) in Belek tourism coast,Turkey

Monitoring of Vibrio species by blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) was carried out during the winter period in a selected area of the Belek, Antalya Gulf. Eighty-three blue crabs were examined for Vibrio species. V. alginolyticus (30.1%), V. fluvialis (10.8%), V. damsela (9.6%), V. harveyi (3.6%), V. metschnikovii (3.6%) and V. vulnificus (2.4%) were isolated. V. vulnificus was the highest concentration (5 x 10(8) Vibrio ml(-1)) although it was only 2.4% isolated from blue crabs. The strains of different vibrio species were highly susceptible to doxycycline, tetracycline and ciprofloxacin.     

Antispasmodic effect of Achillea nobilis L. subsp. sipylea (O. Schwarz) Bässler on the rat isolated duodenum

In this paper, we have studied the anti-Helicobacter pylori effect of 70 Greek plant extracts and a number of commercially available herbs used traditionally in folk medicine against gastric ailments, peptic ulcer included. The extracts of Anthemis melanolepis, Cerastium candidissimum, Chamomilla recutita, Conyza albida, Dittrichia viscosa, Origanum vulgare and Stachys alopecuros have been proved active against one standard strain and 15 clinical isolates of H. pylori.     

Environmental exposure to asbestos in eastern Turkey

In this study, the authors investigated the prevalence of asbestos-related disorders among the inhabitants of Güzelyurt, a town in Malatya, located in eastern Turkey. The authors examined river bed, white soil, and stucco samples taken from various locales in Güzelyurt, and they confirmed the presence of tremolite and chrysotile asbestos fibers. Subjects (N = 920; 449 males and 471 females) were examined by photofluoroscopy. Eighty-five patients (9.2%) had asbestos-related radiological findings; risk increased with age. Calcified pleural plaques were seen more frequently in individuals > or = 50 yr of age, compared with younger subjects (p < 0.01). Asbestos-related disorders were prevalent in the inhabitants of Güzelyurt, the population of which is exposed environmentally to asbestos--primarily the result of the stuccoing and whitewashing of houses with soil that contains asbestos.